Raymond Bernard's From Christ to Chrishna is a book from the past which
has made its appearance again. It seems to have first been published by
Health Research in 1961, although the forward by the author is dated 1959
and the copyright dates from 1966. The book has recently been reproduced
by Health Research.

The name Raymond Bernard is said by Dennis Crenshaw to be an alias for
the surname Sigmeister. Dennis has extensively researched this author
because of his other writings, writings on the hollow earth theory. For
example, Bernard penned the book Agharta, on the Tibetan underground,
and most notably The Hollow Earth, which has become a standard-bearer
for the hollow earth community.

Right from the very beginning, From Christ to Chrishna establishes that
the teachings of Krishna are the origin of Christianity. The book explains
that Apollonius of Tyana had studied in the Himalayas and that he returned
and introduced these teachings to the Essenes, who became the first "Chrishn-ins",
later Christians. It brings to our attention that the writings of Apollonius
were re-written and plagiarized by Roman churchmen at the Council of Nicea
three centuries later. In the fourth century, A.D., Hierocles accused
the Christian priesthood of this plagiary and of inventing a messiah by
combining the name of the Druid sun god, Iesus, from the Western half
of Constantine's Roman empire with the name Chrishna, from the Eastern
half, which had become corrupted to Christ by that time.

In order to provide historical justification, the book explains how a
Jewish religious teacher from Jehoshua Ben Pandira was selected, and why
a young Essene who had been crucified, Jeshai Beth Halachmee, became incorporated
into the story.

The book adds authority to its assertions by interpreting the research
of academicians from the past, such as J.M. Roberts, who authored the
book Antiquity Unveiled; Reverend Robert Taylor, who authored Diegesis;
Moor, the author of Hindu Pantheon; Gerald Massey, of The Natural Genesis
Godfrey Higgins who wrote Analcalypsis and Professor Hilton Hotema, among
others.

>From Christ to Chrishna acknowledges the book Monumental Christianity
as the source of the illustrations which it contains.

Bernard utilizes comparison as a device for establishing that the birth
of Christ originates from the older, Sanskrit-documented narration of
the birth of Krishna, as found in the Puranas. Shree Krishna, for example,
was born in Mathura but taken to a pastoral setting just after birth-
Christ was ready to be born in the larger city of Nazareth but taken to
a pastoral setting just before he was born. At birth, the devatas showered
flowers and sang hymns in glorification of the baby Krishna, just as it
is related in relation to the angels and Christ in the Gospel of Luke.
After His birth, Shree Krishna was visited by a wise man, the sage Narada
Muni who foretold his future according to the alignment of stars at the
time. This is similar to the way in which Jesus was visited by the Magi
who had followed a star in the heavens in order to find him, and who also
foretold of His future glory.

In the natal story of both Shree Krishna and Christ it is told that the
regent ordered the death of all male children bon during that period-
in the birth story of Shree Krishna, the regent's name was Kamsa. In the
birth story of Christ, it was Herod. Bernard quotes Sir William Jones,
a respected Sanskrit scholar, in this regard: "That the name of Krishna
and the general outline of his story were long anterior to the birth of
our Savior, and probably to the time of Homer, we know very certainly
." There is much, much more along these lines.

Whether or not the reader accepts every last shred of evidence, and every
last explanation by Bernard is immaterial. Bernard presents a scope which
is broad enough to substantiate the Krishna origins of Christianity.

It is almost ironic that when this book was written, the Indian/Hindu
immigration into North America had not yet taken place. Even the Indian
population of Great Britain was not what it is today. Even so, the book
is very appropriate for the bookshelf of any current follower of Vedic
dharma as it provides orientation in a Christian world which can be aggressive
at times.